


Let's Speculate Wildly

by deadvinesandfanfics



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, anxiety probably??, dont actually just go knocking on ppls doors guys, idk man, lowkey paranoia probably, stranger danger bro, ye me neither, you ever just. Literally just stumble into that cottagecore life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29153652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadvinesandfanfics/pseuds/deadvinesandfanfics
Summary: “Do you like strawberry, dear?” the old woman questioned.“I do, thank yo-”She had a knife.
Kudos: 2





	Let's Speculate Wildly

**Author's Note:**

> ok. so. this is another project for school that I figured i'd put on here lol
> 
> kinda boring but when I wrote this I had one of those stupid anxiety days where you're just. lowkey overthinking everything?? paranoia anybody??
> 
> anyways, anxiety go brrrrrrrrr

“You’ve gotta be joking.”  
The car was dead. The engine had overheated or _something_ , because there was a loud whistling noise and the car wouldn’t start.  
_I’m gonna die out here,_ Olivia thought as she pushed up the bonnet of the car. The smell of burned tires and smoke wafted into her face and she broke out into a coughing fit. _Everyone knows that when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, a serial killer gets you._

The car wouldn’t start-not that she had done anything to fix it, she knew next to nothing about cars-so Olivia began to walk. It was silent, other than the trees that lined the right side of the road that seemed to buzz with cicadas. There were rocks that had fallen from a small cliff from her left, which made the ground harder to walk on. Her shoes would kill her before anything else did.

After about ten minutes of looking for some sign of life, _anything, really_ -she had begun to give up. Her eyes burned with the effort to hold her tears back and a lump fixed itself in her throat. _She was going to die out here, a serial killer was going to get her, everyone knows that’s what happens-_

There was a light. Off of the main road and down a driveway that appeared as the trees shifted with the wind. Any sign of civilization was a good sign of civilization at this point, so she swerved and forced herself to walk down the gravelly path.   
It was a garden, and a small cottage, covered with ivy and hidden by trees. That much was obvious. It was too tidy. Too idyllic.   
_It’s a trap._  
Still, she had nowhere else to go-so maybe she could just ask to borrow a phone, then leave. _Then you can just go back home, pet the dog, water the plants, and pretend that this never happened._

Olivia stepped up to the bright blue door and peered into the brightly lit cottage. She could see a set of chairs placed next to a fireplace-an old woman was sitting there, reading. Soft jazz music played in the background. 

The whole time she stood there, looking into this small, cozy house, she felt drawn to it. It looked so relaxing and calm-and she would literally kill someone at this point for a break. But she couldn’t ignore the red flags that popped up; _it’s too cozy, who even lives out here in the middle of nowhere like this? She might be like the witch from Hansel and Gretel-she catches people whose cars have broken down, tricks them into coming inside, and then eats them. She could be a cannibal._

At this point, Olivia knew that it was just paranoia eating away at her ability to be realistic, but she was still nervous nonetheless. Raising her hand, she rapped her fist against the old, wooden door three times. In a few seconds, it opened.

“Hello?” the old woman’s head appeared into the doorway. “Oh, hello, dear! What are you doing here at this time of night?”

“My car broke down. Is it okay if I borrow your phone?” 

“Oh! Of course, dear! Come in, come in.” The old woman stepped back, pulling the door wider open to invite her inside. The warmth and smell of freshly baked bread and cookies washed over her and Olivia felt like she could just melt. _It’s a trap,_ her brain whispered again. _No it’s not,_ she whispered back. _Don’t be dumb._

Just as Olivia stepped inside, the huge hunting rifle that was mounted on one of the walls behind her came into view, and, _oh, she was starting to feel dumb. It was so obvious, why didn’t she see the signs, she needed to leave._

“My phone’s here, if you need it, dear,” the woman said, pointing to a corded phone on one of the walls near a small kitchen. 

“Thank you,” Olivia said as she made her way over and ordered a taxi. _Please, god, get here fast, taxi driver._

“Would you like some tea?” the woman said, holding up a cup of bitter smelling liquid.  
_It’s poison-_

“No thanks,” Olivia replied, too fast and an octave too high. _She’s gonna know that I know, she’s gonna kill me-_ her brain was spiraling again.  
_No she’s not. Who randomly poisons tea and hopes that someone stops by their house?_

“Would you like some cake then?” 

_You can’t refuse, that’s rude._ “Yes please,” Olivia said slowly. “Just a little.” The old woman grinned and made her way towards the kitchen, as she talked about, _Oh, how long it’s been since I’ve had a visitor come by, dear. It’s nice to finally have some company._ She pulled out a small cake from the fridge and lowered it onto the counter. It looked fresh, and smelled sweet. Olivia knew at this point that she was going crazy. She was a nice old lady. There was nothing wrong here, she was just overthinking again.  
“Do you like strawberry, dear?” the old woman questioned.  
“I do, thank yo-” 

She had a _knife_. 

She must have pulled it out when she wasn’t looking. The light from the fireplace reflected on the silver blade, and _oh, that’s a huge knife what is she gonna do with that she’s gonna stab me ohmygod I’m gonna die out here-_

She cut the cake. 

Olivia wasn’t sure why she was worried. _Of course she was gonna cut the cake, dummy. You really think this old woman was just gonna stab you right here, right now? You’re losing it._  
Just as Olivia took her first bite, she could hear a car’s tires crunching the gravel path outside. _Oh. The taxi’s here._

After a few minutes, she thanked the old woman for the cake and allowing her to use the phone, and was ashamed that she’d assumed the woman would do anything stupid in the first place. Sometimes people were just nice. No ulterior motives. That shouldn’t be so hard to believe.  
She plopped into the darkness of the taxi and told the driver to take her to the nearest hotel. She’d sort the car out in the morning. But that was refreshing, to meet the old woman.

What a kind woman that was.

**Author's Note:**

> ty for reading lol


End file.
